


Puppets Without Strings

by faithinthepoor



Series: Dollhouse [2]
Category: Dollhouse
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-05
Updated: 2013-01-05
Packaged: 2017-11-23 18:03:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/625079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faithinthepoor/pseuds/faithinthepoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the world of  Epitaph Two</p>
            </blockquote>





	Puppets Without Strings

**Author's Note:**

> A sequel of sorts to [Broken Dolls](http://archiveofourown.org/works/625074)

Topher’s scribbling remains frantic but his chatter has long since stopped. Despite the constant scratching of pencil on paper things are deceptively peaceful and it’s almost possible to forget that what he is doing will either save them or ensure the end of the world. Almost.

Alpha is surprisingly tolerable company. He seems content to sit quietly and marvel at Topher’s actions. No doubt it is somewhat bemusing for him to see someone more fractured than he is or perhaps the parts of Alpha that house the sociopath he once was are simply impressed with Topher’s inconceivable body count. Zealous dictators with an appetite for destruction would weep at their failure if they attempted to compare their tallies with Topher’s so it’s only natural that, on some level, Alpha would be a little jealous. Brink may look like a frightened bird with a broken wing but he killed millions with nothing more than a thought - ideas plucked from his mind took form and resulted in havoc the likes of which the world had never seen. She knows he feels that he alone carries the blame for this but she hired him, she unleashed his power on the world. If he is the smoking gun then she is the one who pulled the trigger.

The balance that three of them have achieved is broken by the arrival of a newcomer. Alpha is unfazed by the intrusion but Topher becomes a twitching bundle of agitation. “No, no, no! No pills. No needles. No needles, no jabs, no punching. Sleep brings dreams but it’s a turtle. No sleep. No sleep.”

She crawls down into the pod and strokes his hair whilst whispering what she hopes are comforting phrases into his ear. Eventually he stills in her arms and then resumes his calculations. His work seems as fast as before but he occasionally pauses to throw a suspicious glance at the new arrival. She slowly edges away from him and then pulls herself out to sit at the only uncluttered edge of the pod. She risks a glance of her own and finds it disconcerting to see Alpha and the interloper in such close proximity to one another displaying nothing other than calm acceptance. 

After what seems an eternity the trespasser moves from her space to take a seat beside Adelle. DeWitt feels her body tense and her breath catches. She is flooded with hope, a feeling that has become completely alien to her. She does her best to suppress that hope for there is no place for such things in the world that is. It shouldn’t be a difficult task, after all she has had a lot of practice at dashing hope, but when the woman beside her reaches over and links their fingers together her traitorous heart all but sings. All thoughts of self-control and realistic expectations are completely abandoned when she feels lips touch her temple and a head come to rest on her shoulder.

The small fraction of her mind that is not overwhelmed by the presence of the other woman is aware that Alpha is watching them intensely. “Take your shots Alpha.”

“Adelle you dark horse, I wouldn’t have thought you had it in you and as for you, good doctor, I can’t believe that we’ve spent all this time together and you’ve failed to mention this juicy little tidbit.”

Claire shoots him a look that borders on disdain, “I wasn’t aware I was here for your amusement.”

“Of course you are. I hardly needed you for you medical skills, there are several physicians in my head, I just needed some company that was slightly more intelligent than a pot plant.”

“I would have thought that the many voices in your head would have been more than enough.”

“Touché my dear but sometimes a man craves less demanding company.”

“I guess it can only help you to have contact with someone who doesn’t think you are as fabulous as you do.”

“If we survive all of this you and I are going to have strong words about you withholding this from me,” Alpha circles his hand in their direction.

“Fine but if you don’t mind Adelle and I could use some privacy.”

“It’s hardly going to be private with Pinocchio still here.” Alpha casts his eyes towards Topher only to discover that he is trying to make one of his statues stand on its head. “On second thought I concede your point.” 

By Alpha’s standards he makes a gracious exit. She turns and whispers, “Claire,” and attempts to catch the doctor’s lips. The reception she receives is not what she expected. There is no kiss, instead Clare pulls back and looks at her with accusing eyes.

“You didn’t look for me.”

“It wasn’t safe to come back. It’s not safe now but it may be the only chance any of us has.”

“No. You didn’t look for me when you got here.”

“I couldn’t.”

“I’ve been watching. I know you’ve busy looking for something and having guns pointed at you and all but I’m sure you could have spared a second or two.”

“I would have spared you all the time I have but I couldn’t look for you, I didn’t know what I’d find.”

“You were worried I’d be Whiskey?”

“Or dead. I don’t know what would have been worse.”

“I thought you felt they were pretty much the same thing.”

“In a way they are.”

“Maybe you’re right. I know I felt like dying when I woke up and you weren’t here.”

“Don’t say that,” she reaches over and strokes Claire’s check.

“Why not? It’s the truth. The thought of spending my life here with Alpha and the inactive Actives didn’t exactly fill me with joy.”

“If it’s any comfort I doubt that Alpha would have stayed around long.”

Claire lets out a snort, “Actually it is a little comforting.”

“How have you coped having him here?”

A hand flies towards Claire’s face in an involuntary movement; there is nowhere near enough light in their world to protect them from the shadows of the past. “It’s ok now. I was serious about wanting to die. I went to sleep looking into your eyes and woke up looking at a monster.”

“I’m a monster too.”

“No your not. You did what you thought was right. You didn’t ask for this to happen.”

“Alpha didn’t ask to have his mind scrambled with memories that drove him insane.”

“You’ll understand that I am slightly biased towards you.”

“I would hope so,” she chances a second attempt at a kiss and this time Clare lets her complete the action.

“You’re not worried that while you were gone I might have taken advantage of the only other semi-sentient being in my universe?”

“The fact that it’s Alpha makes that seem unlikely. I really hope that’s the case. I wasn’t with anyone if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I wouldn’t have blamed you.”

“Claire I wouldn’t do that to you, to us.”

“But I wasn’t around. In fact for all intents and purposes I was dead. You wouldn’t have been doing anything wrong. After all I was never even real.”

“I’ve told you before you are real to me.”

“Real or not I was essentially dead.”

“There was always the possibility of resurrection.”

“Oh so I am basically Jesus.”

She smiles and prepares what she likes to think is an appropriately witty remark but is beaten to the punch by Topher, “You don’t get to be Jesus. I will stand on the cross. I will die for all of our sins.” 

He seems to lose interest as soon as his outburst ends but Claire is looking at her with raised eyebrows, “Is that just crazy talk?”

“I hope so,” she replies. ““He thinks he can fix it. He thinks he can change everyone back to the way they were. I have no idea what the cost will be.”

Claire stiffens beside her, “So it will all go back to normal? It will be as if there never was a Dollhouse?”

“For the world, yes. But not for you, at least not if you don’t want it to.”

“How?”

“If you stay here you’ll be shielded and you won’t be alone. Echo will stay. Sierra will be here and I dare say Victor too. There’s also wounded who need your help.”

“But you won’t be here.”

“I have to lead the others out. Make sure they’re safe. I owe them that much. I could lead you out too.”

“No,” Claire replies vehemently. 

She releases the breath she didn’t realise that she had been holding. “This may sound selfish but I’m glad.”

“I’m the one being selfish, this isn’t even my body to keep.”

“Possession is nine tenths of the law.”

“There is no law, not any more.”

“Hopefully we will change that but for now may be it means that possession is ten tenths.”

“Your position is hardly objective.”

“I’ll have you know you I have top notch judgement.”

“You also happen to love me.”

“I really, really do.”

“That’s good because the feeling is mutual.” This time Claire initiates the kiss but Adelle deepens it. They are lost in the moment and hands begin to wander until a throat clears and they are forced to break apart.

Topher has turned to face them and is sitting cross-legged and staring intently. “Have to work here,” his indignation is childlike.

“It’s ok Topher. I’ll go,” Claire responds and Adelle feels her heart constrict. Even in the best case scenario it will be years before she sees Saunders and she is reluctant to let go of her hand. Claire turns their hands over so she can place a kiss on Adelle’s. “He needs to work,” she whispers and then she leaves.

Things do not get easier from that point. Topher completes his vision with Alpha’s help but the sacrifice that it will require is not something that she can accept. She escapes the room before Alpha is privy to more of her emotions than he has a right to and finds Claire at the bottom of the stairs.

“I’m not stalking you. Well only a little,” Claire states jokingly but then she takes in Adelle’s form and quickly drags her into what was once Saunders’ office. “What’s wrong?”

“He’s not coming back?”

“Alpha? It’s probably best if he doesn’t, at least not for a long time, we don’t know how this will effect him.”

“No not Alpha, Topher.”

“What do you mean?”

“This device of his, it’s basically a bomb and it can only be set manually.”

“Topher’s going to do it himself?”

“Yes,” It shouldn’t be possible for a single syllable to be that shaky and a recalcitrant tear has escaped her eye.

“Oh Adelle I’m so sorry.” Claire wraps her in a tight embrace.

“There has been so much loss already. I don’t think I can bear to have any more blood on my hands.”

“Shhhhh,” Claire strokes her hair in an action that mirrors her own behaviour with Topher. “It will all be alight.”

“No it won’t.”

“You’re right but what else can we do?”

“I could do it. He could show me how to set it off or at least I could be there so he doesn’t have to be alone.”

“He wouldn’t want that.”

“He doesn’t know what he wants. He can hardly decide what to eat for breakfast.”

“All the more reason that it should be him.”

“It’s not his fault that he is this way.”

“I know that and I’m not being cold but do you think that Topher wants to live like this? To be a fraction of what he once was?”

“He shouldn’t be put to death because of what he’s become.”

“From what you tell me someone has to die.”

“It doesn’t have to be him.”

“So what, we sit in judgement and decide who is expendable?”

“Why can’t anything ever be easy?”

“We wouldn’t be here if things were easy.”

“This is all so unfair.”

“Hey, we are trying to make things better.”

“I’ve been trying to do that all along but I have a bloody poor success rate.”

Claire tightens her embrace, “Things are going to get better.”

“I really hope so. I’m sorry but I need to go and be with him.”

“I know.”

“I wish we could have had more time together.”

“It’s ok. You have to save the world. I just wish we’d had time for sex.”

She laughs and realises that it’s a long time since she felt free to do so, “I’ll make it up to you when we see one another again.”

Claire shakes her head, “Adelle, I can’t ask you to wait for me.”

She kisses Claire tenderly, “I’ll wait anyway.” The world is going to change. She is going to try and redeem herself by bringing order to the chaos. She will attempt to help the broken put their lives back together. Topher is right, her job is harder than his and she is not sure that it’s possible. Waiting for Claire, on the other hand, will be the easiest thing in the world.


End file.
